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Squadron 59

About Squadron 59

Hemet Ryan Composite Squadron 59 was charted on July 16, 1988. At that time there were 20 chartered members and there is still 1 founding member active with the squadron. In 1989 the squadron became a composite squadron (adults and cadets) with 14 new cadets. There are currently 65 members in the squadron with 30 being cadets.

Because Hemet Ryan has been designated as a mission base and has qualified base staff, ground teams, and aircrews, Sq. 59 has been the host unit for an average of 3 Search and Rescue missions per year for lost or missing aircraft.

Sq. 59 also participates in an average of 10 missions per year locating Emergency Locator Transmitters (ELT), which turn out to be false alarms. ELT's are made to activate during a crash but can also be activated by a hard landing or during servicing. On average only 25% of the ELT's actually survive post crash or are activated during a crash. Sq. 59 has also supplied qualified personnel for homeland security missions, counter narcotics missions, to search for shuttle debris, natural disasters, and 911 transportation requests.

Sq. 59 hosts an average of 2 Search and Rescue/Disaster Relief training missions per year to help gain and maintain proficiency.

A mission can require as few as 9 members or can range up to 150 members or more based on the requirements. Missions can last hours or weeks depending on the situation.

Squadron 59 Cessna

Squadron 59 operates one Civil Air Patrol owned Cessna 182Q. It is based at the Hemet Ryan Airfield. The Cessna 182 is an ideal aircraft for CAP because of it's powerful engine and steady flight characteristics.

Hemet-Ryan Airport

Hemet-Ryan Airport is a county-owned, public-use airport located three nautical miles southwest of the central business district of Hemet, in Riverside County, California.

Hemet-Ryan is a main Cal Fire Air Attack Base, also used for civilian purposes, Civil Air Patrol meetings, and more. It is also home to a Riverside County Sheriff's Department aviation unit and a Mercy Air Air ambulance. The airport is named after the late Claude T. Ryan.

The airfield was opened in September 1940 by the United States Army Air Corps. It was assigned to the West Coast Training Center (later Western Flying Training Command) as a primary (level 1) pilot training airfield. Later it was activated as a Air Corps Training Detachment with Ryan School of Aeronautics conducting primary flight training under control of 5th Flying Training Detachment. Flight training was performed with PT-17 Stearmans as the primary trainer, along with Ryan PT-21 Recruits. Over 14,000 army cadets were trained to fly.

The airport was inactivated in December 1944 with the drawdown of AAFTC's pilot training program, the airfield was declared surplus and turned over to the Army Corps of Engineers. Later, the airfield was discharged to the War Assets Administration. The facility eventually became a public airport owned and operated by Riverside County.

For over 50 years (approximately 1959-2009), Hemet-Ryan was a popular site for operating sailplanes (gliders). Sailplane Enterprises operated there from 1972-2009. Orange County Soaring Association (OCSA) used Hemet-Ryan as its home base from 1991-2009. Cypress Soaring was also based there until 2009. On September 30, 2009, the Economic Development Agency closed Hemet-Ryan to glider operations by painting a large yellow “X” on runway 4-22. OCSA filed a complaint with the FAA pursuant to Title 14 CFR Part 16 against the County of Riverside. On February 11, 2011, the FAA ruled that the closure was in violation of Federal law and Federal grant obligations. The County declined to appeal the ruling.